HUFFPOST FUNDRACE -- Obama's Small Dollar Donors

The reelection campaign of Barack Obama is raking in contributions from small donors -- those giving less than $200 in total -- at a higher rate than in 2008.HuffPost reports: "According to an analysis by The Huffington Post, the Obama reelection campaign committee, Obama for America, pulled in at least 45 percent of its contributions from donors giving less than $200 during each of the fundraising quarters it was active in 2011. In 2007-2008, there was only one quarter, from April through June 2008, during which the campaign pulled in more than 40 percent from these small donors. It never had a quarter or month where it raised 45 percent or more from small donors."

Mitt Romney's super PAC is planning an 8 state advertising binge set to cost $1.5 million. The states targeted include Michigan, Arizona, Ohio, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Georgia, Mississippi, and Alabama. Romney has won three contests -- New Hampshire, Florida, and Nevada -- with another result in Maine up in the air. The Romney super PAC spent big in Florida, the only state Romney won outside of his comfort zones of the Northeast and the Mormon West.

It's likely that the super PAC will train its sites on Gingrich in the South and Santorum in the industrial Midwest. The group released a new ad targeting Santorum today. The new ad will air in Michigan, Arizona, and Ohio.

On the recent moves by the Obama and Romney camps to offer up appearances by important people -- cabinet members for Obama and the candidate, himself, for Romney -- at events held by their respective super PACs: "'It seemingly amounts to a recognition by the campaigns that special interest donors are only going to open up their wallets if they're provided access with high-level decision-makers in exchange for their contributions, and that’s a very troubling development," said Paul Ryan of the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center. "The Obama move was really a significant step in the race to the bottom, in terms of providing access to special interest donors.'"

Being a campaign bundler, once touted as a badge of honor, no longer holds such esteem. Only the Obama campaign has disclosed its bundlers.

A Texas-based super PAC run by some rich guys is getting involved in a number of primary campaigns for no other reason than to even the playing field -- or so they say. This has only brought frowny facesto those races.

From the Twitter, Priorities USA Action head Bill Burton teases the Romney super PAC: "As of the noon news, the Romney super PAC is still on-air attacking Gingrich. Why not just keep going after Perry at this rate?"

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These numbers represent spending by independent groups, like super PACs and non-profits, to support or oppose a particular candidate for the presidency in 2012. Fundrace will update this spending daily to help show which candidates are gaining from the proliferation of independent groups in this coming election.